PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Darren Harged (ranked 3193 p4p, 5883 weight class) and Steve Sherk (ranked 393 p4p, 524 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Harged
vs
Sherk

179 cm
21
161
5 - 2 - 1

179 cm
21
158
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Counter fighter
Determined

Furnace Performance ðŸ”¥
Silverguard Outfitters ðŸ›¡

Fantasy Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 1, fighting out of London, Darren Harged!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steve Sherk!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch lands to the side of Sherk 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Sherk moves away from the strike by Harged.
Sherk feints the counter takedown.
Harged jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sherk is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Harged connects with a single shot there.
Harged throws a lazy uppercut

and Sherk decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Harged's guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Harged throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Sherk escapes and throws Harged's legs to the side, diving into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sherk controls the position from side control.
It looks like Sherk might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harged is looking to regain half guard here but Sherk keeps moving and retains side control.

Sherk is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Harged has escaped the position, nice work there.
Sherk laying and praying for a moment but Harged takes advantage and regains half guard.
Harged wants to improve his position but Sherk is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Sherk is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Sherk takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Harged is trying to get back to full guard.
Harged is looking to control Sherk's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Harged avoid being mounted?

Sherk is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherk passes to full mount!
Sherk avoids the attempt from Harged to control.
Sherk wants to take Harged's back here but Harged is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Sherk controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Harged is trying to escape the mount.
Sherk moves to take his opponent's back.

Sherk looking to break Harged's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Harged remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Sherk will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sherk just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Sherk dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Harged is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sherk.
And Sherk tries to counter it with a takedown but Harged pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Sherk bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
And Sherk tries to counter it with a takedown but Harged pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Harged throws a jab but it's blocked by Sherk.
Harged clobbers Sherk with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Sherk swats away the attempt to clinch by Harged.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harged lands with an uppercut that bounces Sherk off the cage and back into range.
Good shot there by Harged.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherk steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Harged.
Sherk drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Harged defends it well.
Sherk defending well as Harged loads up on a big left hand.
Harged loads up on a big right hand but Sherk slips the punch.
Harged misses with a hook. Sherk ducked under it nicely.

Harged shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Harged showed some decent athleticism there.
Harged trying to control from Sherk's half guard. Sherk has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Harged trying to control the position from guard on top but Sherk is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Steve Sherk has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sherk is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Sherk lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Harged looking to control.
Harged can't keep his opponent in guard - Sherk advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Sherk is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Sherk wants to pass to mount but Harged is defending the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherk is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Harged wants to get back to full guard but Sherk has mounted him!
Harged tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sherk is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. Harged is in real trouble.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sherk is hanging on to Harged's back as he tries to escape.
Sherk controlling from the back.

Sherk is working for a rear naked choke. Harged is not defending it well and Sherk has tightened it up quickly! This could be all over! Harged refuses to tap and goes to sleep, forcing the referee to intervene. A little trickle of blood came out of Harged's nose as his head slumped to the floor. That is naaaasty!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:39 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Steve Sherk!
Steve Sherk made sure to mention his sponsor, Fantasy Threads in his post fight interview.